


For Safety

by simplykayley



Category: Manifest (TV 2018)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Pre-Poly, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 21:57:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20454185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplykayley/pseuds/simplykayley
Summary: Danny nodded as if he understood what he was saying and wasn't sounding like a crazy person. It was nice, more than other people would give him at least. "Then you can trust me to stick around and help you. I don't want to be an enemy, Ben, I can be around to help you instead of hinder."Ben thought about what the other man was saying for a moment before slowly nodding. When the callings took him and the other passengers to dangerous places, having someone that cared about Grace and Olive and Cal by default would be useful. "Okay, I think I can trust you and I trust Grace and Olive's opinions.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RoseRedMisery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseRedMisery/gifts).

Ben was walking down the stairs and out the doors of Michaela's apartment building beside her when he felt a hand grab his lower arm to stop him in his tracks. 

A quick breath punched out of him in surprise, his heart jumped in his chest and he span around to stare at who had grabbed him, coming face to face with Danny. Michaela stopped right behind him as well, not recognising the man as she took tentative steps in case he was some fanatic that prayed to them. 

"Ben, who-" She began but he cut her off before she could ask and he would have to explain. 

"It's okay, Mich. I know him." He shook off Danny's hold with an irritated look to him before meeting her eyes over his shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Go meet Saanvi without me. I'll catch up with you and you can fill me in." 

She stared at him for a moment before nodding when he gave her one in conformation that it was okay to go on. She turned and disappeared around the corner after a moment and he turned back around to stare at Danny expectantly, who hadn't spoken yet. 

The other man looked sheepish at his look. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hold you up from anything important." 

Ben chose his words carefully, questions forming in his head. How had Danny found out where he had been staying? Coming back had turned him paranoid against everything. "Nothing too important, just a friend with my sister." 

Danny stared him up and down another moment as if surprised he was actually there before shaking his head. "You probably think I'm a crazy stalker, I just figured out where you were staying from Grace talking to the kids and just thought that maybe we should talk? Without Grace or the kids in the middle, I mean." 

Ben knew that he probably didn't hide the look that showed exactly what he thought about that well. "I'm not sure-" He started but Danny cut him off. 

"You don't even have to say anything, just listen to me. I really don't want to have to fight anymore." Danny explained carefully and Ben sighed but nodded, pointing towards the coffee shop across the road so they didn't have to talk (and or fight) in the middle of the sidewalk. 

"Follow me." He instructed before jumping off the sidewalk and jogging across the road, expecting Danny to follow behind him. 

He picked a table in the far corner of the shop and took a seat across from Danny. Danny, for being such a larger man, gingerly took the other seat and their eyes met across the table. 

"How was dinner?" Ben tried to politely started the conversation and Danny laughed awkwardly, running a hand across his face. 

"It was good to see Grace and Olive again, a little awkward with Cal in the beginning but I was glad to finally meet the kid I've heard so much about." He looked up and met Ben's eyes, solemn suddenly. "I'm actually glad to meet you too. Grace and Olive talked about you guys all the time." 

Ben hummed awkwardly, no idea where the conversation was going. Danny seemed to notice this and hurried on. 

"I know this is such a messed up situation for everyone and I understand how hurt you must be, but it was 5 years for Grace. I can't tell you how much Olive and her mourned. You and Cal were never forgotten." 

Ben jumped forward in his seat. "I  _ already know  _ all of this-" 

Danny put up a hand. "I know, I know. I probably can't understand how terrible it is to have your life torn up like this, I barely even understand this crazy situation as it is but that's why I'm saying that maybe it doesn't have to be that way. Maybe we can make it easier." 

Ben fell silent and stared at him. He hurried forward. "We don't have to keep fighting. I know how hard it is on Grace and Olive and I hate it and from what I know about you, you probably feel the same way." 

Ben was silent for a moment as he thought through a response. "I do." He said slowly. "But that's not the only reason I had to leave."

Danny nodded as if he understood what he was saying and wasn't sounding like a crazy person. It was nice, more than other people would give him at least. "Then you can trust me to stick around and help you. I don't want to be an enemy, Ben, I can be around to help you instead of hinder." 

Ben thought about what the other man was saying for a moment before slowly nodding. When the callings took him and the other passengers to dangerous places, having someone that cared about Grace and Olive and Cal by default would be useful. "Okay, I think I can trust you and I trust Grace and Olive's opinions but I want to lay down at least one rule." 

Danny raised an eyebrow and motioned him forward. "No behind the scenes with my wife until I've talked to her, please." He said firmly and Danny nodded. 

"I wouldn't have, that's not a problem. I honestly  just want to help." 

Ben had probably 100 more questions but stuffed them down. He would trust Danny for now. He honestly needed all the help he could get at the moment. "I do have to meet my sister." 

Danny stood up, pulling out a pen from his back pocket to write a number down on a napkin. "This is my number, you can call me anytime." 

Ben finally gave him a tentative smile and stood up as well. "Thank you, Danny. I really do appreciate it."


	2. 2.

A few days later Ben got up early to go eat breakfast with the kids at the house while Grace got ready for work. This was when Olive brought it up to him. 

"So," She began suddenly while he helped Cal with his cereal. The boy suddenly looked up at her as if he knew exactly what she was going to say and shook his head. Ben looked between the two of them with raised eyebrows before Olive spoke again. "I heard you and Danny talked, alone." 

Ben laughed, going back to his task. "Oh yeah, did he tell you that?" He asked and she smirked. 

"Yeah, he said something about it when we went rock climbing the other day." 

His heart still clenched at the mention of just another thing he couldn't connect with his daughter at but he pushed it down. "Well, don't leave me in suspense." 

She smiled at him, nibbling on a piece of toast. "He just told me that you were nice." 

He stopped what he was doing for a moment to glance at her suspiciously. Nice? Seriously? He wondered but didn't say anything. "I'm glad to see I meet Danny's approval then." He said sarcastically but Olive just grinned secretly again as she finished her toast. Cal was suspiciously quiet beside him as well. 

<°>

Ben finally came gave to face with Danny again just a few days later when he walked through the door of the house. 

Grace and he had finally reconnected and talked through some of their problems that they were personally having after the plane had come back. They still had their difficulties, Grace still only knew the bare minimum of what he and the other passengers had been going through while Olive still knew nothing, but the important thing was that they were talking about things while living under the same roof instead of keeping silent about it all. 

So he stopped short in the doorway of the house when he glanced towards the dining room and saw everyone at the kitchen table with Danny. 

"Dad!" Cal cried happily, jumping up from his seat and running towards Ben. Ben smiled for a moment, catching his son for a hug before pulling away. 

"Anything interesting happen today?" He asked, knowing that Cal would understand what he meant. 

Cal shook his head in the negatively before discreetly looking over his shoulder and leaning forward to whisper to him. "He's not too bad." 

Ben knew the meaning underneath that Cal probably didn't even know he was telling him. Danny most likely wasn't some elaborate plan by the government to spy on them all. 

"I'm going to have to agree with that." He said with a smile and sat Cal back down on the ground, following him back in. 

"Danny." He said politely, walking into the kitchen. Grace looked pinched and Olive looked hopeful. He knew then and there that he would never have the heart to wipe that look off her face, no matter what it was she wanted. 

"Ben." Danny replied with a humorous smile. 

"Olive invited Danny for dinner and I didn't think that you would mind." Grace injected as if he was going to start fist fighting with Danny right there. 

“That’s fine.” He replied nonchalantly, pressing a kiss to the top of Olive’s head as he past her chair. 

He quickly grabbed a drink from the fridge before turning back around to see Grace staring at him and Olive smiling widely between him and Danny. “What?” He asked, leaning against the counter. Grace shook her head quickly, a hesitant smile creeping on her face. 

“Nothing, nothing.” She said, standing up. “Have a seat. I was waiting for you to get back so we can serve dinner.” 

He took the seat beside Cal and across from Olive and Danny. “How was your day at school?” He asked, choosing to simply ignore the giant elephant in the room. He could be nice to the man. At least it wasn’t a life or death elephant.

Cal launched into an elaborate story about his day that they all nodded along to while Grace served them all dinner and sat down at the head of the table, in between Ben and Danny. A nice symbolism for their lives at the moment actually.

“What is it that you do, Ben?” Danny suddenly asked as he was taking a sip of his drink. He sat it back at the table and raised an eyebrow.

“Pardon?” 

“Your job?” Danny asked simpler and he let out a laugh. 

“Oh, sorry. I’m a mathematician.” 

Danny raised an impressed eyebrow. “I don’t think that I’ve ever met someone that likes math enough to make a career out of it.”

“Yeah.” Cal injected helpfully. “He helps me with all of my math homework but I still don’t understand it.” 

They shared a quick laugh. “I don’t know who’s skill that is insulting actually.” Ben told his son before turning back to the conversation. “And you?” He asked. 

“I’m a climbing instructor.” Danny laughed. “Probably not as impressive as being a mathematician but it is rewarding at points.” He said, sharing a smile with Olive. 

Ben waved his hand with a short laugh, thinking of all the jokes that Michaela would make at his expense during high school gym. “It’s impressive enough to me. I was a nerd, I could never do anything like that.” 

Danny smiled, pushing his empty plate forward. “No, I don’t see that.” 

He snorted. “You would be the only one.” 

He missed the smile that Olive shot to Grace from across the table. 

<>

“Thank you.” Grace whispered to him later that night while they were finishing putting up the dishes. “It means a lot to Olive to still get to see him.” 

Ben shook his head, putting up the last dish over his head. “I know that. And he’s not that bad, he cares about you guys so it doesn’t bother me.” 

Grace smiled, wrapping an arm around his side to press a kiss to his cheek. “I think that he thinks the same for you, but still, thank you.” 

Ben just smiled. “Anything to keep you guys happy.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This felt like kind of an odd chapter but I needed something so that any future interactions between Ben and Danny wouldn't feel so odd and out of place so I hope it wasn't too terrible for you to have to read through. 
> 
> But does anyone notice that Olive seems to be in the know about something that Ben doesn't? Hmm, I wonder what it is?...;)


	3. 3.

Michaela grimaced. "Dinner with the ex boyfriend? Sounds almost as bad as my dinner with Lourdes and Jared, bro." 

Ben couldn't help his snort, nodding. How insane their lives had become in just what to them was the span of a few weeks was the part that would continue to blow him away. 

"He's actually really nice so it's almost impossible to try and hate him." Ben said absentmindedly as he flipped through a few papers on the desk. 

"Well, was he worthy?" She asked, jumping up on the edge of the desk, rolling her eyes when he looked at her in confusion. "Of your sweet Grace's love while you were presumed dead." 

Ben rolled his eyes, glaring at her for her sarcasm. “I’m not sure what the criteria is.” 

“Was he polite?”

“Yeah.”

“He likes the kids?” 

“Cal says that he is a quote “nice guy.””

Michaela hummed in amusement. “Well, is he hot? I didn’t really get to see him up close the other day.” 

“Michaela!” Ben reprimanded with a laugh, swiping his glasses off to look over at her. She raised her hands up, smiling. 

“I don’t know, he just wants to help, I guess. He really cares about Grace and Olive, wants to make sure that they are okay after everything that has happened.” He said seriously and Michaela nodded in agreement before shrugging. 

“I don’t know, bro. At this point, I don’t think any of us can get “too much” help. It’s not like we don’t need it. It's not like you don't. All this stuff with the callings has been running everyone ragid.” 

Ben nodded absentmindedly in agreement with her, going back to his task at hand before he thought too much into the odd arrangement that he had come to with Danny to protect his family. 

<>

Then everything began to fall apart from there. Autumn came into their lives, Cal suddenly disappeared with only a few crayons left behind and Autumn was actually kind of betraying them the whole time but they couldn't actually completely hate her for doing it. 

"Cal is gone? What do you mean Cal is gone?" Danny asked when Grace called him asking to borrow his truck. Grace glanced worriedly as Ben who was talking quietly with Michaela. 

"Yeah, it looks like he climbed out the window." She replied. 

"Are you guys okay? Have you called the cops yet?" Danny asked, already standing up to go over. 

This is when Grace lowered her voice. "We did but they are gone now. That's why we need to borrow your truck, to go find him." 

Danny stopped in confusion. "What? What do you mean the cops left, Grace. They should be the ones finding Cal!" 

Grace closed her eyes with a sigh. "It's a really long story Danny that I can't explain right now, I don't even really understand it myself but all I can say is that they wouldn't be helping, can you just trust me on this?" 

It was silent for a moment and Grace's heart clenched. "I'll be over as fast as I can. 

<> 

Olive ran up and gave him a hug as soon as he walked through the door. Ben turned away from his sister to look at him and Grace came from inside the kitchen, looking immediately relieved. 

"Hey Olive." He said softly, watching as Ben and who he guessed to be Michaela turned to give Grace twin looks of confusion. 

"He's the only other person I can think of with a car we can use that I can trust." Grace replied to the unspoken question and Ben's face tightened before he nodded quickly. 

Danny lets go of Olive and starts to move closer into the house. He discreetly sees Michaela lean closer to Ben and whisper something to him, most likely a question as he shakes his head in the negative, glancing at her quickly before looking away. 

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion but he doesn't comment on it as he looks between them. "So why did the cops leave? Can anyone at least tell me that?" 

Michaela glanced at Ben and Ben glanced to Grace and Olive looked between all three of them as they debate who should say something first. 

"We can't actually explain that." Michaela decides to step up and Ben shoots her a look. 

"Danny." Ben tries, running a hand down his face tiredly when he sees the look on his face. "I know how it makes us sound but the cops won't actually be helping us at all right now. It just has to do with us being passengers. I said before that it wasn't really safe for any of us." 

Danny opens his mouth, looking around at them all as they stare at him like he's going to bolt at any moment. He meets Grace's eyes from across the room and she just nods at him once. He's silent for another moment before he nods as well.

"Okay." He agreed. "But I'm coming with you guys I said I wanted to help and I meant it." 

<>

Ben argued at first, throwing every reason up in the air while Grace seemed to drop it after only a bit of opposition and Danny kept silent while he went through his process. Michaela didn't really have much to say, just slapping a hand to her brother's shoulder as she went past, telling him that she would keep him updated with something and someone named Autumn before she left with a tight smile in his direction.

Ben stared at him silently for a moment while the door slammed shut behind him. His blue eyes flicked over to Olive, who's expression he couldn't see anymore, before back again. A huge sigh broke free before he huffed and moved out of the room. 

"Fine." He muttered, fortunately not angrily. "But don't ask 100 questions that I can't answer. We think that we are heading to Tannersville." 

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom is really lacking and it makes me so sad. I have to gift this to RoseRedMisery because they are the one that first made this ship sound so appealing to me so of course I had to add my contribution to the tag. 😂
> 
> There will be more chapters but this is posted on my phone so it doesn't let me change that but no worries. A slow burn wouldn't be a slow burn with just one chapter. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are very much appreciated. They are actually what I feed on. 😏


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